


Real Conversations

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Drama, F/M, Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-06-15
Updated: 1999-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-11 06:27:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11142750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: Ben spend's an all night vigil in the company of Phil's brothers. This story is a sequel toIn the Kiss of One Girl.





	Real Conversations

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).

 

Ben & Phil Ch

Disclaimer: This story is written for the private entertainment of fans. The author makes no claims on the characters or their portrayal by the creation of this story. Fraser, Vecchio, et.al. belong to Alliance; the McKenzies and friends belong to me. No infringement of any copyrights held by CBS, Alliance, CTV, or any other copyright holders of DUE SOUTH is intended. This story is not published for profit, and the author does not give permission for this story to be reproduced for profit.

"Real Conversations"

By SL Haas

(Copyright November 1996, Revised April 1999)

 

__

Silences make the real conversations between friends. Not the saying but the never needing to say is what counts.

\--Margaret Lee Runbeck

June 1984

B

enton Fraser stood in the clearing near Blue Cabin searching the sky, Concern etching his features. Surely the chopper should be here by now. The call from the RMR base had come less than ten minutes ago. Surely they should be here by now. His shoulders sagged as he realized what he was doing. Ten minutes would barely see the chopper lifting off. He had to give them the time necessary to get here. He took another look at the sky. The storm system had abated but had not fully departed.

Darryl radioed Ben at the cabin and told him that he was making a quick flight during the forecasted lull. "Have Phil ready, Fraser. We won't have much time to fly in and out before the system settles back in...maybe only an hour or two. That should be enough time to get her to the hospital."

Ben returned to the cabin to check on Phil. She rested quietly, her breathing rasping and labored. Ever since the early morning when he had thought she had died, he had watched her, had not left her alone for more than a few minutes. The raging fever that had claimed her during the night was gone, replaced by this low, strength-consuming fire. Except for a brief moment of lucidity in the early dawn hours, Phil had remained in a delirium.

Ben dug through Phil's clothing and found the pair of hiking shorts she carried in her pack. He approached the bed and gently removed the light blanket covering her body. He carefully fitted the shorts on her legs and pulled them up over her hips. Running the zipper up and buttoning the shorts were done with as gentle a touch as he could summon. Phil did not stir. He carefully fitted the discarded T-shirt over her head. Again, there was not a flicker of movement from Phil. It was as if she was somewhere else.

He gathered their packs and carried them to the clearing. There was still no sign of the chopper. He scanned the sky before returning to the cabin. 

He approached the bed once more. Phil lay as he had left her. He touched her face--warmth met his seeking fingers--fingers that trembled with suppressed fear. He couldn't lose her now. He had fought to bring her through hypothermia, through the raging fever; he would not let her go now. He gathered her into his arms and held her next to his heart. He whispered the words he had tried to tell her earlier. "I love you, Philippe McKenzie. I don't know how or why or when--but I do." 

Phil snuggled closer and coughed--a deep, ragged cough. Another followed it. Both their bodies were shaken by the intensity of the cough. Ben rubbed circles on her back, trying to ease the coughing.

"T, what are you doing here?" Phil gazed up into the glacier blue eyes that were clouded with worry. She brought a hand to her mouth as another coughing fit seized her. "Sorry, T...feel like...can't breathe..." More coughing racked their bodies as she drifted off again.

Fear closed his throat as he held her and felt the rattling of her breathing. He knew her lungs were congested. He prayed that pneumonia wouldn't set in, but he wasn't holding his breath. If only the chopper would come.

Ben wrapped a blanket around Phil then laid her back on the bed. He stepped outside the cabin and searched the sky for a rescue helicopter. The wind was beginning to pick up again. If the chopper didn't come soon, it would have to cancel and try again at a later time. He stood in the door and looked at Phil. Her bruised face was turned away from him. If the chopper didn't come now, she might not last until it could come. 

A faint growl feathered across his ears then was whisked away by the rising breeze. He strode out into the clearing and searched the sky again. This time his search was rewarded. The chopper was coming in low from the southeast.

Ben ran back into the cabin and gathered Phil into his arms. He kicked the door shut and hurried to meet the now landing helicopter. Jason took Phil from him as he climbed aboard. The packs were already loaded. He settled himself and secured his belt then reached for Phil. Jason gave him a long and deliberate look. Phil had been **his** friend ever since he and Darryl had pulled her off that ledge in Thunder Basin; Fraser had known her a little over a month. He wasn't about to trust Phil with a stranger. But, the look in Fraser's eyes...he reluctantly relinquished his hold on her. 

Ben settled Phil's limp body on his lap. "Get us out of here. She's in bad shape and I'm afraid she's developing pneumonia on top of everything." 

Darryl nodded his understanding and they were soon airborne. The flight to the hospital was bumpy as the wind continued to increase. But they **were** going to make it. Phil would be in capable hands soon. Ben held her close and whispered to her when she became restless.

Jason stared at the two and shook his head. There was a hint of pity in the smile that hovered on his lips. Who would have thought it? Poor Fraser, he sure had it bad for Phil. Jason hoped Phil would be gentle with him when she finally got around to brushing him off. Jason had dated Phil years ago and experienced first-hand her reluctance to become involved with anyone. He also knew the reasons behind her resistance. It didn't matter anymore; he and Phil were good friends. But poor Fraser... he didn't stand a ghost of a chance with the Ice Queen. He shook his head again.

* * *

"Dr. McKenzie, there's a call for you on line 2." The receptionist smiled at the handsome, young intern. 

Rob accepted the receiver and smiled back. "Thanks....Hello, this is Dr. McKenzie."

"Is this Rob McKenzie? Do you have a sister named Phil?"

An icy shiver raced up his spine. "Yes, my sister's name is Phil. Who is this? Has something happened to Phil?" Panic built in Rob's voice.

"I'm Constable Benton Fraser, Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I'm spending this summer working with Rocky Mountain Rescue..."

Rob cut him off, "What's happened to Phil? There's been an accident, hasn't there?"

"Yes..."

Rob swayed and began to shake. "Flip's..." His voice trailed off as he slid down the wall to sit on the floor. He buried his face in his hands. "Flip's dead. Isn't she?" His voice shook. The roaring in his ears obscured what Fraser said. Fraser? Benton Fraser? Wasn't he the man TJ had told him about? The one who was interested in Flip? But, she was gone...he shook uncontrollably. People began to gather around him and offer assistance.

Fraser's voice finally penetrated Rob's despair. "Rob...Rob! Listen to me. Phil's okay. She's not dead. Rob, get a hold of yourself!"

"She's not dead? But you said...an accident?"

"She was injured in an accident. We don't know for sure what happened..."

"What does her partner say..."

"She was on her own, running a patrol over a ridge..."

"She was alone? I'm going to kill her!" He climbed to his feet, waved off the helping hands, and said into the phone, "Hold on Fraser, I'm going to have this call transferred to some place where I can have some privacy." He glared at those around him. The call was transferred to an office shared by the interns.

"Okay, Fraser. Tell me the whole story. Don't leave anything out." 

Ben related everything...almost. There were some things you wouldn't tell a brother--the feel of her skin, his burning desire. He related everything he knew from when he had learned of Phil's 'loner,' to finding her pack and tracking her and finally finding her, to taking her to the cabin, caring for her, fighting for her life, the rescue chopper and the flight to the hospital. He held nothing (almost) back. "That was about an hour ago. She has a couple of bruised ribs, a concussion, and the doctor says she'll probably develop pneumonia. They need her next of kin here. I tried to reach TJ with no luck. Can you come?"

"I'm on the next plane. Can someone meet me at the airport?"

"I'll pick you up myself."

"Fine, give me a number where I can reach you and I'll get a flight number and time to you."

"Understood."

* * *

Ben waited impatiently for Rob's plane to arrive. He wanted to be at the hospital. Phil wasn't out of danger and had drifted closer to pneumonia in the time since he had called Rob. His worry over Phil's condition overrode his concerns at meeting Phil's other brother. From the sound of his voice, Ben knew that Rob loved Phil as much, if not more, than TJ--which was hard to imagine.

The plane landed and Ben watched for Rob's exit. There, that had to be him! Coming toward the terminal was a handsome young man with sandy brown hair. Phil's crooked grin was echoed in the smile on his face.

Rob scanned the waiting people looking for Fraser. It was pretty obvious which one he was. TJ's description had accurately portrayed the Mountie. Rob approached Ben and extended his hand. "I'm Rob McKenzie. You have to be Fraser. TJ described you perfectly." Friendship offered itself in his voice.

Ben returned the smile, accepting both the introduction and the friendship offered. He reveled in Rob's reception. Why was it so important that Phil's brothers accept him? For some unfathomable reason it **was** important. 

"You've talked with TJ?"

"Not yet. He's in Washington, DC, attending a training session. I've left a message at his hotel, but I'll try again after I know more about Phil's condition. How is she?" By this time, they were on the road to the hospital.

Ben was slow in answering, "She's not doing too well. They won't tell me anything." The catch in his voice was all too apparent to Rob. "They've been waiting for her family to get here."

The rest of the drive was accomplished in silence. Rob could tell that Fraser was worried. He smiled to himself, _‘TJ was right. He cares for Flip. If he's half the man TJ_

says he is, then...’ He smiled to himself, _‘Now all we have to do is pull her out of this mess she's in.’_

As Phil's next of kin, the doctor handling her case immediately approached Rob. He was pleased to discover that Rob was also a doctor and could discuss the case knowledgeably.

Phil had succumbed to pneumonia. Combined with the concussion and exposure, her resistance and stamina had slowly ebbed. She was feverish and slipped in and out of consciousness. 

Ben went to her room while Rob talked with the doctor. She looked so small and defenseless...not the strong, resolute woman he knew her to be. A film of perspiration glistened on her face. She moved restlessly in the bed. He leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"T? Is that you?"

"I'm here, Phil. I'll always be here for you."

She clutched at his arm. "T, where are you?" The blankness in her eyes told him she was far away in her delirium. 

His heart ached. He lowered the rails on the bed and he sat on the edge of it. He gently pulled Phil to him until she rested with her head on his chest. He held her and stroked her back. 

"Ben?"

He brushed the hair from her face, careful not to disturb the oxygen tubes. He kissed her brow and hugged her close. "I'm here, Phil. I'm here." He continued to softly talk to her as he rocked her. He hummed softly. Anything to let her know he was there.

Rob stood in the doorway for a few minutes and watched Ben with Phil. He approached the couple. Ben turned his head to watch Rob approach. He continued to rock Phil and whisper to her.

"TJ said you cared for Phil. He also said that you didn't know how much. Has that changed?"

"Dr. McKenzie..."

"Please, my friends call me Rob and you're Ben." 

Ben smiled; he liked Phil's brothers. They were honest, open, and direct. "Rob," he said as he continued to rock Phil. "I love her."

"I'm glad to hear that, I would hate to think that this is the way you hold your friends." 

Ben, realizing how closely he was holding Phil, blushed. 

Rob laughed, "It's great to finally meet a man who can turn as red as I do." Ben started to lay Phil back on the bed but was stopped by Rob. "No, go ahead and hold her. You seem to have a calming affect on her." 

Ben continued to rock Phil. 

Rob smiled wryly then said, "I guess I owe TJ a steak dinner."

A puzzled look crossed Ben's finely chiseled features. "I don't understand. A steak dinner?"

Rob moved the rails down and sat on the other side of the bed. He reached out and stroked Phil's bruised cheek. "Yeah, we had a bet and he won."

The puzzlement was still in Ben's eyes but he nodded his head. "Understood. What was the bet?"

"TJ said you were already in love with Phil. I said it would take a lot longer to get through her defenses. I didn't think it would be this quick though!"

"I haven't _'gotten through her defenses,'_ as you so aptly put it, yet! But...I'm patient... patient and tenacious..." He saw the knowing smile creep across Rob's face. Embarrassed, he said, "I'm sorry, Rob. You don't even know me, and here I am talking about Phil as if she were a suspect I was pursuing. For all you know, I could be some crazed pervert that preys on women..."

Rob quickly stopped that line of conversation, "No, I don't think so, Ben. I know Flip and TJ got to know you pretty well. I trust his judgment. He likes you and I can see why." He paused and then continued, "Dr. Braxton says that the next 8 to 12 hours are most critical. She has pneumonia, but the antibiotics and respiratory therapy should take care of that. It's the combination of the pneumonia, the concussion, and shock that we have to worry about now. He suggested that someone stay with her as much as possible. We can trade off or both stay here...?" He raised questioning eyes to Ben.

"I'd like to stay as long as possible. I have the late shift tomorrow, but we should know something by then." He carefully laid Phil back on the bed.

"Stay as long as you want. Right now though, I've got try and locate TJ." He reached for the phone and dialed TJ's number. 

TJ responded before the phone had a chance to ring twice. "This is Tom McKenzie. Rob is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you all afternoon."

"I was out on a project tour. I got back about an hour ago. I've called your hospital and the apartment. I've even called Flip's place--what's happened? Where are you?"

"I'm here with Flip. She's had an accident..." his calm facade cracked. "TJ, she's pretty sick. The doctor here says...says if she makes it...makes it through the next 8 to 12 hours..." The lump in his throat made it impossible for him to speak. He blinked the tears away. 

Ben gently took the phone from him. "Hello, TJ."

"Ben? Is that you? What's going on? How's Flip?"

"She's got a concussion, bruised ribs, pneumonia. If you can come, I think Rob could use your support. These next few hours are critical. We'll stay with her but she's been calling for both of you."

"I'm already packed. My flight out of Dulles leaves in an hour. I'll be there in about 5 hours. Can someone meet me or should I grab a cab?"

Ben chuckled. "Grab a cab? Here? In the middle of the night? Surely you jest!"

TJ laughed, too. "I keep forgetting what a backwater place that is."

"Don't worry. I'll pick you up."

"Thanks, Ben. So, how's it going with you and the Ice Queen?"

"Rob says he owes you a steak dinner."

"He does? That's good news! So, you actually got past her defenses? I thought you would."

"Well, that's not entirely correct." He ran a hand over his face. "Phil doesn't know I love her. And she hasn't exactly been encouraging either. Actually, I've had a severe case of frostbite ever since you left."

"Well, don't tell Rob that or I'll never collect on our bet! Let me speak to that brother of mine."

Ben covered the receiver with his hand and turned to Rob. "TJ's afraid you'll renege on your bet." He grinned then handed the phone back to Rob.

The two men spent the next several hours talking quietly, getting to know a little bit about each other. Members of the night staff occasionally stepped into the room to monitor the equipment or to check on Phil. Somehow the time got away from them. 

"What time did TJ say his plane would be in?" Rob asked.

Ben jerked upright. "TJ! I'm sorry, Rob. I promised TJ I would pick him up at the airport." He looked at his watch. "If I hurry, I can just get there in time." He gave Phil a quick kiss and left at a run.

The slight kiss brought Phil awake. "Ben?" Rob captured her outstretched hand. She turned to see her brother smiling down at her. "Bobber?"

Rob smiled, "You haven't called me that since you were ten, Flip." He smoothed her hair back from her face.

"What are you doing here?"

"Ben called me when they got you here to the hospital. They needed your next of kin. So here I am. You've given us quite a scare." He leaned over and planted a kiss on her still warm forehead. "Let me tell you something, Flip, if you ever do anything this foolish again I will personally..." 

Phil's fingers on his lips silenced the forthcoming threat. "I promise, Rob, I won't do this again. It hurts too much." She smiled weakly at him.

Rob smiled back. "Ben just left to get TJ." He held up his hand when she began to protest. "Did you think that we would just stand by and let you struggle through this alone?" He watched as her eyelids fluttered closed then opened.

"I wasn't alone, Rob." A slow smile spread across her features, "Ben was with me." Her words were slowing as she slid closer to sleep. Her eyelids fluttered again. "He followed me." This time her eyelids remained closed as her body relaxed in sleep. 

He brushed the hair away from her face once more. "You stubborn, perverse, obstinate, mule-headed..." Rob sighed, "What am I going to do with you?" He checked her pulse and retrieved his stethoscope from his bag and listened to her lungs. He was relieved that the congestion was not increasing. At least she wasn't coughing those huge hacking coughs that had racked her body earlier.

* * *

Ben made it to the airport with three minutes to spare. The plane was taxiing to the gate when he entered the terminal. He met TJ at the gate. TJ took Ben's outstretched hand and shook it then pulled him into a bear-hug. "Damn, it's good to see you, Ben. How did you make out with Rob? He's a bit of a stuffed shirt. Not at all like me--easy and outgoing."

Ben had to laugh at this description of the brothers. As far as he could tell the two were cut from the same mold. Make that three, Phil was just like them. "Stuffed shirt? I'm not familiar with that idiom. Is it anything like a stuffed mukluk?"

"Don't know! What's a mud cluck? Sounds like a dirty chicken. I've seen Rob plenty dirty, but never chicken." He laughed at his own joke.

"No, mukluks are a type of footwear worn by the Inuit."

"Hmmm." TJ thought it over then nodded his head. "Stuffed shirt--stuffed shoes. Yeah, that pretty much describes Rob!" They both laughed.

Arriving at the hospital, they quickly made their way to Phil's room. Ben hung back as TJ and Rob embraced each other then moved to stand on either side of Phil's bed. He watched as each brother tenderly smoothed the hair from her face and placed a gentle kiss on a cheek. He felt like an intruder. Some as yet undefined emotion gnawed at his soul. He turned and left. He wasn't needed there.

The slight movement at the door caught the attention of the two brothers. They turned to see an empty doorway. Ben was gone. They looked at each other and shook their heads. Hurrying to the hallway, they followed after the departed Mountie. They found him slumped with his back against the wall waiting for the elevator. His head was bowed.

"Ben?" Two different hands were placed gently on his shoulders. 

He jerked his head up to see two different pairs of eyes looking at him with concern in their depths. Unshed tears shimmered in the depths of his blue eyes. 

"Why did you leave?"

Ben straightened and was relieved when Rob and TJ dropped their hands from his shoulders. "Phil doesn't need me anymore. She has the two of you. I didn't want to be in the way."

Rob looked at TJ. "I thought you said he was intelligent. Did you just hear the crap that came out of his mouth?"

TJ shot back, "I **did** say he was intelligent. I also said he was polite. That garbage sounded like polite to me." He turned to Ben, "Which is it, Ben? Crap or garbage?"

Ben stared at the two men. Crap or garbage? What in the world were they talking about? The elevator doors opened then closed when no one entered.

"Maybe he's just too tired to know what's going on."

"Yeah, he does have a dazed look in his eyes. What do you think, Dr. McKenzie?"

Rob grasped Ben's arm and swung him around. He squinted his eyes and stared into Ben's face nodding gravely. "In my profession, medical opinion--this man needs..." his voice gentled, "...a swift kick in the butt." He shook his head. "You can't just walk away from us like that, Ben."

TJ seconded that. "Like it or not, Ben, once you admitted to loving that pain-in-the-ass sister of ours you joined a very select group. Now the only obstacle I foresee is getting her to love you."

"Which brings us back to the present." Rob was ever practical. "Why did you leave, Ben?"

"I didn't want to intrude on you and Phil and..."

"You aren't an intruder, Ben. You saved her life. How could you possibly be an intruder?" TJ asked.

"You told me that you loved her," Rob interjected. "Has that changed in the last couple of hours?"

"No, I just thought..."

"Well, you thought wrong. Now, are you coming back to Flip's room with us, or do we have to drag you back?"

Put that way, what choice did he have? Ben was finding that the McKenzie clan, once their mind was made up, forged ahead toward their goal no matter what the cost. He ran his hand through his hair and gracefully surrendered. He returned with Rob and TJ to Phil's room.

Phil was stirring restlessly on the bed. Rob leaned over her, checking her pulse. "Bobber? Where am I? It's so hot...why's it so hot?" Fever dazed eyes gazed at him.

"Bobber? Why doesn't Daddy like me?" 

Rob turned pain filled eyes to TJ. "Why does she always end up back there? I wish she could let that son-of-a..."

"I know Rob. But he **was** our father. I hate what he did to Flip as much as you do, but cursing the dead will get us nowhere."

"You're right as usual. I just...sometimes..."

"I know, believe me I know."

Phil's hands tugged at the covers and she moaned. Her movements were more frantic. Ben sat on the side of the bed and caressed Phil's bruised cheek. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Shush, love. Don't worry about your father. You don't need him. We're here for you. We love you." 

A slight movement of Phil's head brought her face to his. He stared into her fever bright eyes. "Who..." Confusion gave way to comprehension..."Ben?" She struggled to grasp his shirtfront but the cast on her hand prevented her from getting a good purchase. "T, please...you're slipping...grab hold of my arm...Ben...we'll both fall...I won't let you go..." Comprehension slid back into confusion. She closed her eyes and gave way to the darkness that called to her.

Ben carefully held her hand, stroking each finger where it emerged from the cast. He remembered the cliff and how his life had hung by the clasp of her hands around his wrist. "She's supposed to have the cast off the end of this week. She hated it. She complained constantly about it." Ben looked at TJ. "You remember how she was?"

TJ nodded his head. "Anything that restricted her was always a source of irritation. She's always been like that!"

The next several hours saw the three men sharing a vigil over the woman they cared for. They talked quietly of many mundane things--taking the opportunity to get to know each other better. As the night progressed to the wee hours of the morning, TJ fell asleep in a chair pulled up next to the bed. Rob was already stretched out on the other bed in the room. 

Ben looked at them and yawned. He was so tired. His eyes burned and felt like sandpaper. He had had very little sleep since setting out for Phil three days ago, but someone needed to keep watch. He pulled the other chair over next to the bed and sat down. He crossed his arms on the bed and rested his eyes on them. He was soon fast asleep.

Phil woke feeling fuzzy around the edges. Where was she? The last thing she clearly remembered was the waterfall and the horse. From that point things were unclear and disjointed. She vaguely remembered the cold and Ben and a beautiful woman with Ben's eyes--not much else. 

Her gaze slowly navigated the room. It was a hospital room. Her eyes moved to the chair beside the bed. TJ? What was TJ doing here? She moved her hand to reach for him and encountered something--someone else. Her eyes caressed the head and shoulders her hand had encountered. She would know them anywhere. Ben. Smiling, she ran her fingers through his hair relishing the way it curled around her fingers. His head came up and she gazed into his clear blue eyes.

"Phil? How do you feel?"

"...little thirsty. What happened? What's TJ doing here?" She noticed the man on the other bed. "And Rob? What are they doing here?" Ben helped her with a drink then quietly answered her questions. Ben's obvious concern triggered a memory--someone saying that Ben needed her and she needed him. But the image was vague and quickly slipped away.

"I'm a little tired, T. I'll think I'll...I'll..." Her voice faded as she slipped back into sleep.

"Sleep all you need, Phil. I'll be here."

"That's a good sign." Rob spoke to Ben's back. Startled, Ben jerked around to face Phil's brother.

"In what manner?" Ben queried.

"She was lucid." He came over to the bed and gently felt her face and neck. "Fever's down. I think she's weathered the worst of it."

"She's too contrary to let exposure, pneumonia, **or** a concussion slow her down." TJ joined them. "Knowing her, she'll be complaining about going home before the day's over." He shook his head and a long-suffering smile settled on his dark, handsome features.

Rob chuckled. "Yes, but she does it so well!" This comment brought a short laugh from TJ.

Remembering his experiences with his own sister, Ben joined them. It felt good to finally release the tension and fears he had kept bottled inside for the past three days.

Phil would recover and he would get his chance to tell her how much she meant to him. He knew he had an uphill battle ahead of himself. 

He gently ran his fingers down the side of Phil's face. His fingers lightly traced the contours of her lips. He smiled in anticipation.

A not too subtle noise drew his attention. He glanced at the two brothers. They were staring at him with varying degrees of pity etched on their faces. In unison they shook their heads.

"What?"

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Ben. Phil's...she's..." TJ seemed at a loss for a description of his sister.

Rob on the other hand wasn't. "Phil's warped. As daft as wagon with square wheels; as perverse as a porcupine with an itch; as stubborn as mule; as wild as a..."

" **Okay** , Rob! I think Ben gets the general idea. We don't want him to think we don't love her. Besides if we scare him off, we'll be stuck with **her** again." His grin to Ben said more than words could.

"...spring thunderstorm; as friendly as a Siamese with a tail caught in a door; as warm as an erupting volcano..." Rob's voice trailed off. He took in the look of pure

mischief on TJ's face and the look of disbelief on Ben's. He coughed, "She's a handful, Ben. Do you think you can handle her?" Rob finished then looked expectantly at Ben.

Ben stared at these two crazy men who were doing their best to convince him that their sister was the crazy one. He felt the laugh begin deep in his gut. It traveled up his chest and burst forth from his mouth. He laughed so hard his sides ached. He shook the bed with the vigor of his laughter. Only when Phil stirred restlessly did he leave the bed and try to bring his mirth under control.

"Whoa! I'm sorry." He gulped great ragged breaths into his lungs. Tears streaked his face. A chuckle forced it's way out. "Sorry, can't help it." More deep breaths. "It's just...the tension, worry..." More chuckles. "Feels so good to let it all out..." He leaned over and grasped his knees taking long, slow, deep breaths. Finally, he felt in control of himself. He stood erect and stretched. The last knots of fear and despair uncurled.

"Well? I'm waiting?" Rob wanted an answer.

"Can I handle her? I don't know. In fact, I don't even know if she likes me. I know, I know..." He read TJ reaction easily. "You say she likes me, but she sure doesn't show it. She hasn't said more than a few sentences to me since..." He looked at TJ.

"...since Noelle died?" TJ asked. Ben nodded in acknowledgment. "I was afraid of that. She's crawled back into her shell. Well, Ben, you're going to have to be a little more sneaky with her."

"Yeah, keep her off balance. Don't let her get her feet under herself. When she pushes you away..." Rob gave Ben a meaningful look, "you push back. But...I guess the best advice I could give you...we could give you is...be her friend." TJ nodded. "That's the most insidious and most sure way to capture her heart."

Ben stared at these two men, Phil's brothers, plotting ways to make her fall in love with him. Why? They really didn't know him that well. Why were they so willing to trust their sister to him? 

TJ and Rob noted the bewilderment in his eyes. TJ responded to the unasked questions. "Why? Why are we encouraging..."

"...pushing..." 

TJ glared at his brother. "Why are we encouraging you? I don't really know why. It just feels right. Honestly, Ben, the guys Phil dated before just weren't right. I hope Phil comes to her senses and..." TJ shook his head.

"I guess what TJ is trying to say is that we like you. You are the first man that's stood up to us. Usually they run after the first round. You've held on through how many?" Rob turned to TJ.

"I lost count." TJ stepped closer to Ben. "Not only did you stand up to us, but you've given as good as we have. If you're going to be associated with this family you need to be able to hold your own."

Rob closed in on the other side of Ben. "If you're going to be associated with this family you have to accept the fact that Phil has two brothers that love her very much.

Do you think you could accept TJ and me as friends? Maybe even brothers?"

A look of panic darted across Ben's face. "Hold on, guys. No one said anything about...about...she still doesn't like me, remember?" 

"Come on now, Ben. You are a Mountie, aren't you? Isn't your motto _'A Mountie always gets his man'_? Why not woman?" TJ took another step closer.

"Actually, the motto is _'Maintain the Right,_ ' not the other." Ben was feeling trapped between Phil's brothers.

"Look, Ben, all we're asking of you is that you don't let Phil's stubborn pride or fears or whatever crap she comes up with stand between you two." Rob looked over at Phil as she slept. "She's going to fight you, kicking and screaming all the way. That's just the way she is. Never could graciously surrender, always had to go down with the ship. That's one of the reasons I was never really fearful of losing her to this fever. Before she dies, God will have to pry her fingers loose of this life, and then she'll probably bend his ear trying to weasel her way back here."

"Amen to that!" TJ agreed.

Puzzled, Ben asked, "Bend his ear? Weasel her way back?"

TJ laughed, "Phil will put up such an argument and use all kinds of logical explanations as to why it's not her time."

"Ah...understood." Ben had been witness to Phil's perseverance and determination and knew what they were talking about. He grinned at Rob then at TJ. 

As if that was a signal, TJ and Rob closed in on Ben and swept him into a hug that told him just how much Phil's brothers liked him.

The three men stepped apart and self-consciously looked at each other. Three throats were cleared and grins shared among them. The friendship between the three men, the shared love of Phil, the rightness of the situation flowed between them. Words were not necessary. Conversation was superfluous. Each knew what the other was feeling and thinking. 

Ben basked in his inclusion in the McKenzie clan. His own struggles with loneliness were discarded.

It was Rob who eventually said, "Now, about Phil. You need some ways to get to her...to get under her skin. Let me see...hmmm...Phil likes columbines and hummingbirds..."

TJ continued, "...chocolate, caramel, toffee, nuts..."

"...rocks, don't forget rocks..."

"Who could forget those? She also likes Mexican food, Chinese food..."

"...food of any type..."

"...hiking, rafting, flying..."

"...malachite, azurite, opal..."

"...sci-fi, westerns..."

"...dinosaurs, dogs, cats..."

"...bad jokes, practical jokes, puns..."

"...igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks, sedimentary rocks..."

"...green, red, blue, violet..."

"...jeans, flannels, T-shirts..."

"...swimming, hang-gliding, kung fu..."

"...Shakespeare, Andre Norton, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver..."

"...classical music, soft rock, golden oldies..."

"...did I mention rocks?"

To be continued (?)

Copyright November 1996 by SL Haas

Revised April 1999

Comments are welcome at 

durango@ionet.net

Fraser’s Secret

(Book 1)

  1. On a Collision Course
  2. Nocturnal Duet
  3. Jumping to Conclusions
  4. "In the Kiss of One Girl"
  5. Real Conversations
  6. Icnites, Montmorillonite, and Bentonite, Oh My!
  7. An Acquired Taste
  8. "…a Dish Best Served Cold"
  9. Like Thunder When It Rains
  10. Steppingstones
  11. The First Consciousness
  12. An Answered Dream
  13. Since We Parted
  14. The Fine Line That Separates
  15. Moments of Regret
  16. Benton's Secret



 

 


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